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Self-Care for Citizens Trapped in a Political Hellscape

Sleepless nights and gut-tightening anxiety are a natural consequence of any totalitarian government. But you don’t have to let your entire life unravel over the course of the next four years — and you shouldn’t. There are self-care steps you can take to keep up your strength so you can meet the challenges of confronting a rogue president with grace.

But beware, self-care is not synonymous with self-indulgence. While a Big Gulp-sized glass of wine may sound like sweet relief, it’s a bad long term strategy. We can’t afford to run from our problems right now. We need energy and determination.

Good self-care makes you stronger, not weaker and more vulnerable. So put down the cronut and try these things instead:

Get some sleep. Even the Dalai Lama says that sleep is critical to keeping a calm mind and famously said, “Sleep is the best meditation.”

Don’t let a man-sized toddler destroy your peace of mind. Rather, use his behavior as an impetus to take good care of yourself, so you can jump in and make a difference.

It’s going to take strength to step outside our comfort zones and learn about the experiences of our fellow Americans that many of us have ignored because of our own relative comfort. It’s going to take courage to stand up and defend our rights and protect our most vulnerable citizens. Self-care can help get you there.